One Million Thumbprints

One Million Thumbprints (1MT) is a grassroots organization catalyzing a groundswell of people focused on overcoming the effects of war against women in conflict zones. One Million Thumbprints envisions a world where women are free from the fear of violence, oppression, and poverty caused by war. One Million Thumbprints’ strategy is four-fold: *Catalyze voice with women and girls affected by violence in conflict zones; *Fund programs ensuring the survival of women and girls in conflict zones, including safe spaces, trauma support, health services, education and economic opportunity; *Increase resilience in women and girls affected by, or vulnerable to, violence associated with war and conflict through capacity-building and training, and; *Advocate for policy that protects women and girls in conflict zones. Our story begins with Esperance but belongs to women everywhere. In 2012, Belinda Bauman and a group of women met Esperance while visiting the Democratic of Congo. Esperance watched her husband die at the hand of rebels. She was violently raped and would have died if her sisters hadn’t rescued her. Across a blank sheet of paper, Esperance, who can’t read or write, had someone write the words: “Tell the world.” Then she stamped her thumbprint underneath. Esperance's thumbprint became Belinda’s mandate: violence against women in war is violence against me. One Million Thumbprints invites all of us to join Esperance by helping her, and thousands like her, to stem the tide of violence in tangible ways. One thumbprint becomes a hundred, a thousand, even a million strong.